Mattress



0d 24, 1950 H. R. sTRAuss 2,527,107

MATTRESS Filed oct. e, 194s Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITEDr STATES PATENTOFFICEY Application October 6, 1948, Serial No. 53,009

5 Claims.

This invention relates to bed mattresses and more particularly toimprovements'in a waterproof and therapeutic mattress such las might beused in hospitals, institutions and the like.

Oftentimes, hospital and institutional patients 'suffer from maladiesand sicknesses which necessitate their remaining in bed for long periodsof time, and/or which affect the nervous system and muscular'coordination of the human body so that elimination of body waste isinvoluntary. In such casesl the hospital bed must be made up withprotectivef sheetsand coverings, including rubber or plastic sheeting,bed `pads and the like, to protect the mattress. oftentimes, theabovementioned protective covers are forgotten or neglected, resultingin unsanitary conditions and in some cases irreparable damage to themattress and bedding.

' It is thereforethe primary object of this invention topr'ovide amattress which will vovercome all of the aforementioned objections;

An object relating thereto is `to construct a mattress with a panel ofwaterproofI material as an integral part of the fabric outer covering.

AnotherA object is to provide a hospital mattress for use in cases whichordinarily require additional protective bedding, but which, because ofits novel construction, eliminates the necessity for such coverings.

A further object is to provide a mattress having a waterproof panel of amaterial which is less .irritating to the skin than the materialspreviously used-for protective coverings.

Stilll another object is to provide a hospital mattress Which'will beresistant to oils, solvents. urine, body acids and the like.

Still a further object is to afford a mattress having a protective panelwith relatively high yheat conductivity so that body perspiration isthereby minimized.

Yet another `object is to provide a hospital mat- .tress which willreduce the overall cost ofthe bedding.

Yet a further object is to provide a mattress havingsa waterproof paneleffectively and se- 'curely positioned and constructed into the mattresscover.

And still a further object is to provide a mattress for use in hospitalsand th'e vlike which, throughfusethereof, will reduce the amount lof theinvention consists of certain novel features of construction,arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafterY fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed outin the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in theform, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be madewithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the invention. Y

For the purpose of facilitating 'an understanding of my invention, Ihave illustrated in the accompanying drawings preferred embodimentsthereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection withthe following description, my invention, its modeof construction,assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readilyunderstood and appreciated. v

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference areemployed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout theseveral 'gures of the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a tufted mattress constructed inaccordance with my invention, and having a portion broken away toillustrate the details of construction.

1 Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a similar mattress, but of the typecommonly known as Vtuftless.

- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3'in Fig.1, and viewed in the direction indicated. Y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4 4 ofFig. 2 and illustrating the details of construction.

In the drawings reference numeral I 2 indicates generally an innerspring mattress with a fabric outercover I4. This outer cover comprisestop and bottom sheets such` as I6 (the bottom Ysheet is not shown in thedrawings), and boxing strips I8 stitched to the body sheets of the coverto form seams 20 and 2'2.

The novel feature of this invention resides primarily in theconstruction of these top and bottom sheets. Waterproof panels orinserts such as 24 are stitched into these sheets. Thus each of the top`and bottom sheets I6 is made by stitching three sections together suchas a lower fabric panel 26, an upper fabric panel 28 and the waterproofpanel 24 to form seams 30 and 32.

These seams extend transversely across the entire mattress from thelongitudinal sides of seams 20 and 22 where* their marginal edges arejoined to boxing strips I 8. It should be noted that lower panel 26 isbroader than upper panel 28 for the reason Ytress construction is shown.

3 that the waterproof panel 24 must be positioned to underlay thepatient's body from the knees to the shoulders.

Longitudinal fabric, reinforcement strips such as 34 are sewn under thelongitudinal edges of the panel 24 to insure the securing of thesepanels to the boxing strips I8. The outer edges of these reinforcementstrips are secured to the boxing strips I8 by the same seams 20 and 22which secure the waterproof panels 24 thereto. The inner edges arestitched to the panel 24 as by seams 36 and 38.

The material selected for the panel 24 is also of considerableimportance to this invention. In-

Thus, for example, the materiall should be resistant to oils, urine,body acids and other solvents. It should be heat resistant and to someextent heat conductive to minimize body perspirationr and indirectlyimprove the conditions un-` der'which bedsores form. For the samevreason the material should not readily` crease or fold.

.Although a number of plastic and synthetic rubber materials possessingor approximating the above mentioned characteristics -may be ernployed,I have found that a` synthetic-rubber materialzfo'rmed by thepolymerization of chloroprene and commonly known as neoprene isgthemostdesirablematerial. Y

f The construction ofthebalance of the-mattress may be variedand may besubstantially of the standard andusual: types. Thus, although thelmattress may be of almost any conventional type of construction, onlytwo have been selectedrfor illustration in the drawings. ,Y

In. Figs. l and- 3` a conventional inner spring structure 4l! comprisinga plurality of coil springs 42.positioned.between tie sheets 44 and 46is'illustrated. A filler material 48, such as cotton and the like; isdisposed therein between the interstices as well as betweentheinnerspring structure 4D and the outer cover lll- Ventilators such'as 50 are provided in the sides of the mattress, and carrying strapssuch as 52 are also provided on both sides of the mattress.

It will also be noted that the mattress shown in Fig. l is partiallytufted with buttons such as 54 secured on the top and bottom sheets I6of the upper and lower fabric panels 26 and `28. The

waterproof panel 24 is not tufted so as to insure a continuouswaterproof sheet. V s i' In Figs. 2 and-4, a modification of the mat-`Similarparts are designated by like numeralswith an added suffix "a'fIn this modification thepanel 24A is afiixed and positioned within theouter cover I4a in approximately the same manner as employed in thepreviously described embodiment. However, in

this modification the mattress is of the felt filled Moreover, bymak-ing the mattress reversible, the life of the mattress itself isconsiderably extended.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly,and many of its advantages should be readily understood from theforegoing without further description, and it should also be manifestthat while preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed for illustrative purposes, the structural details :arenevertheles's'capable of wide variation'within" the purview'of myinvention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1. In a mattress of the character described, an outer cover comprisingtop and bottom sheets, a boxing Vstrip aixed by continuous seams to themarginal edges of said top and bottom sheets, each of said top andbottom sheets comprising a plurality of transverse panels at least oneof which is made from a water-proof material'.

2. In a mattress of the character described, an outer 'cover comprisingtop and bottom sheets, a boxing strip'afxed by continuous seams to themarginal edges of said top and bottom sheets, each of said top andlbottom sheets comprising a panel of water-proof material having itslongitudinal marginal edges affixed by seamsto said boxing strip, and-'a-pair of fabric panels with their longitudinal marginal edgesl alignedlwith thelongitudinal edges of said watereproof-,panel and' affixed bycontinuations of the same seams to said boxing vstrip, one of each ofthe-transverse marginal edges of `Said fabric panels affixed by seams tothe adjacent transverse marginal edges o'f said water-proof panel.

3. Ina mattress of vthe character described, an outer cover comprisingtop and bottom sheets, a boxing strip aflixed by continuous seam's tothe vmarginal edges'of said top and 4bottom sheets,

each of said top and bottom sheets comprising a panel ofwatereproofymaterial:having its longitudinal marginaledges aixed byseams to said boxing strip, and a pairof fabric panels with theirlongitudinal' marginal edges aligned with the longitudinal edges of saidwater-proof panel and affixed by continuations of the same seams to saidboxing-strip, one of each of the transverse marginal edges of saidfabric panels affixed by seams to the adjacent, transverse marginaledges of. said water-proof panel, and reinforce,- ment strips afxed byseams to the longitudinal marginal sides of said water-proof panel.

4. In al mattress ofthe characterdescribed, an outer-cover comprisingtop and bottom sheets, a boxing strip aixed by continuous seams to themarginal edges of said top and bottom sheets,

each of said topland bottom sheets comprising .a panel ofY water-proofmaterial having its longitudinal marginal edges aflixed by seams to saidboxing strip', and a pairof fabric panels with their longitudinal`marginaledges aligned with the longitudinal edges of saidwater-proofpanel and affixed by continuations of the same seams to saidboxing strip, one of each of the transverse marginal edges of saidfabric panels aflixed by seams to the adjacent transverse marginal edgesof said water-proof panel, said water-proof panel made from neoprene andpositioned to underlay at A:least the torsov of af'personrecliningonsaid mattress. y Y

5. In a mattress of the character described, the combination of a pairof tie sheets, a plurality of spaced coil springs'positionedl between'said sheets, a shockgabsorbentnller also' positioned between said tiesheets, an outer cover comprising top and bottom sheets, a boxing stripaffixed by continuous seams to the marginal edges of said top and bottomsheets, each of said top and bottom sheets comprising a panel ofwater-proof material having its longitudinal marginal edges aiixed byseams to said boxing strip, and a pair of fabric panels with theirlongitudinal marginal edges aligned with the longitudinal edges of saidwater-proof panel and aixed by continuations of the same seams to saidboxing strip, one of each of the transverse marginal edges of saidfabric panels aixed by seams to the adjacent The following referencesare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 1,897,521 Lagarde Feb. 14,1933 1,986,896 Robinson June 8, 1935 2,414,927 Chapman June 28, 1947

